


Downfall

by PridetotheFall



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Death, F/M, Hope, Sorry guys, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 09:03:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3482390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PridetotheFall/pseuds/PridetotheFall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Solas falls during the final battle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Downfall

After everything they went through to get here, after all the times they cheated death, Senna should have considered that her luck would run out. But fighting Corypheus was not a 'maybe', it was a 'must.' They must win. He must be defeated. There was no other way. She would give her life, she would suffer the consequences, whatever it took.

Whatever it took. 

And maybe it would have been easier if she was the one to die.

Perhaps he knew, for Corypheus struck down her heart. Claws and magic ripped through layers of barriers, past skin, bone, and blood. Pain and shock in his eyes because he couldn't believe it either, then tossed aside and she could only stare, horrified.

No, this was – this was her fight. Corypheus was supposed to look at her, supposed to attack her. This wasn't right. It couldn't be real, not like this. 

The rest she couldn't remember. The rest was magic and hurt and bitter duty. She wanted to rush to his side but the world needed her to fight. She had no choice until the magister was defeated. Though the world crumbled, rock falling from the sky above, she pushed forward on hands and knees to where he lay, pooling blood and death. 

“No. No, no, no,” she gasped. With gentle hands trembling, she rolled the elf onto his back. He'd been torn nearly in two. “Solas. Solas-”

His eyes struggled to open, failed, tried again to look at her, the clear blue now glazed over. “I'm sorry.”

“It's okay. You're okay. Corypheus is gone and-” She fumbled at her belt for a potion, tears and trembling making the easy movement impossible. 

“No,” he said, lips chapped with blood. “It was my fault. This. Your people . . . I'm sorry.”

She gave up on the potion, gave into her tears, cried and pressed her hand to his cheek like she did when he would kiss her. “Solas, please. Please don't – I need you. I need you.”

Cole knelt with her. He gripped the orb in both hands as if in offering. His head bowed, listening. “Yes. I understand.”

She wanted him to do something, anyone to act, to make some effort to save his life but they only stood there. And she couldn't do anything either. She couldn't save him. After everything, after being named blessed, after uniting Thedas, after defeating a darkspawn magister, she still didn't have the power to save him. 

“Thank you,” Solas breathed. “You gave a broken old man a little hope.”

And she kissed him, desperate with tears and need and despair because she still loved him. She had never stopped. He knew, didn't he? He had to. 

He was gone. She gripped him in her arms with everything left in her, pressed her face to his neck and rocked, and rocked, and rocked. Her cries that eased the primal ache in her chest fell to sobs, then nothing. Why did it have to be him? Why should he suffer for this? 

Much later, Cassandra pulled her away with a firm hand on her arm. Senna was so tired she allowed it. Cole was the only one that stayed with her – with him. The others had left.

“We should return to Skyhold,” the Seeker said quietly. 

She couldn't remember doing it, but they came to the gates of her fortress, the fortress he gave her. They were greeted with cheers and celebration. That's right. There was a victory. She forgot. 

And they congratulated her but no one would remember the quiet apostate that gave his life. They only cared about her, about the Herald. When her story was told, they would get everything wrong because her heart would be forgotten. 

She could barely try to hold her expression. They wanted her to be their victorious leader, but there was only sorrow on her brow. 

In the privacy of her own quarters she cried again. Cole appeared then. The orb was still in his possession. He gave it to her then, and it glowed with the same energy that sparked from her hand. 

“It was his,” the spirit explained. “He wanted you to keep it, protect it. No one else could be trusted.”

He explained everything she didn't know. So many things Solas never said, and now it made sense. 

“He wanted to tell you but he couldn't. He was sorry that he hurt you,” Cole said. He motioned to the anchor.

“Thank you, Cole,” she whispered. She couldn't take anymore today. She knew there was more, much more the spirit hadn't said. He would in time. For now she needed rest. 

“You changed everything.”

The familiar words echoed off the spirit's lips and she remembered when he first said it. He had changed everything too. 

There was a funeral, for him and for the soldiers lost, and a party. There was still work to be done. Her companions all agreed to stay for the time being. A new Divine was chosen. Thedas was more at peace than ever. And the orb, his orb, sat in her room thrumming with power. One day she would have to decide what to do with it. 

For now she was still the Inquisitor. For now, she would fall asleep at night, gripping her hand, and would remember him.


End file.
